Saturday, May 30

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police confirm an arrest in the case of Nikki McPhatter, the Charlotte US Airways employee who disappeared more than three weeks ago.

They also say a body was discovered just north of Columbia which is believed to be that of McPhatter, who was reported missing on May 11th.

In a statement Friday night summarizing the case, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police say that their involvement began on May 11, 2009, when Nikki McPhatter was reported missing to CMPD, with the case being assigned to the department's Missing Persons Unit.

During the course of the investigation, information was developed indicating that foul play may have been involved in McPhatter's disappearance. As a result, CMPD Homicide detectives took the lead in the investigation on May 20, 2009, nine days after McPhatter's reported disappearance.

The statement says CMPD dedicated significant investigative resources that led detectives to Columbia, South Carolina. At that point, CMPD Homicide unit began a joint investigation with the Richland County Sheriff's Office in Columbia.

The CMPD statement Friday night notes that over the course of the past week, detectives developed information that identified Theodore Roosevelt Manning IV, identified as "Teddy," as being responsible for the death of Nikki McPhatter.

The investigation led detectives to the location of McPhatter's 2003 Black Honda Accord, and also to a body which CMPD investigators believe is that of Ms. Mcphatter in Fairfield County, South Carolina, just north of Richland County.

Soon afterwards, the Richland County Sheriff's Department obtained an arrest warrant for 29-year-old Theodore Roosevelt Manning IV. The Richland County Sheriff's Department arrested Manning at 7:04 p.m. Friday evening at his residence, 8047 Bluff Road, in Gadsden, S.C., which is in Richland County.

The statement offered no information about the cause of death. Wachovia Bank video from Columbia within the past several weeks showed an unidentified individual trying to use McPhatter's ATM card to obtain cash, suggesting robbery as a possible motive. Police have not yet confirmed the suspected motive.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police concluded their statement by offering its thanks to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Richland County communities for the many tips and leads that they received in the course of the investigation.

Friday, May 29

Wednesday, May 27

Goddess Zuri will be introducing a new pair of hoops soon, and they don't have a name! Send your name suggestions to freethegoddess@goddesszuri.com by June 10th and if you're name is chosen, you'll win a pair!

The Hoops are made with batik bone beads and black glass beads. Please reference names of other Goddess Zuri earrings at http://www.goddesszuri.com/ before entering.

With just a first name to guide them, investigators in two states were trying to locate a man named “Teddy” who they believe might have information about US Airways employee Nikki McPhatter's disappearance.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police were in Columbia on Thursday looking for the man, but wouldn't say what his connection with McPhatter might have been.

“I know she was supposed to have been heading this way,” Columbia police Capt. Thomas Dodson said of her disappearance. “They're trying to locate a Teddy.”

The 30-year-old Charlotte woman was last heard from on May 6 when she called a friend and said she had run out of gas in Columbia.

Investigators are still trying to identify two men captured on bank video May 6 as they tried unsuccessfully to use McPhatter's ATM card at a S.C. Wachovia branch.And they were also asking anyone who has seen her car, which has the N.C. license tag “PHATTAH,” to contact police.

Fran Eddings, a co-worker who set up a Facebook page for McPhatter's friends and family to support each other, said people have spotted the car at various locations in the Charlotte area, including Eastland Mall and Graham Street in Charlotte. One report placed the car on I-40 between exits 119 and 125 in the Hickory area.

Eddings said people started calling her with tips about the case after she put her phone number online. She said she would prefer tipsters call police directly.

McPhatter was last seen at work on May 4. She works at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport at the international terminal ticket counter. She hasn't been heard from since calling a friend two days later from Columbia and saying she needed money because had run out of gas. The friend told police that McPhatter didn't answer her phone a short time later.

Between 6:45 and 7 p.m. that day, a camera at the Wachovia bank branch on Farrow Road in Columbia caught two men on video.

McPhatter missed several days of work, which is uncharacteristic, and failed to meet a friend in Georgia on May 6.

Latoya McPhatter, who lives in Raleigh, said she was supposed to meet her sister on May 8, but she didn't show up.

Various friends and co-workers tried to reach McPhatter and stopped by her home in northwest Charlotte.

Akilah Weaver, a concerned friend, filed a missing persons report on May 11.She did so after receiving a call from McPhatter's employer who said she had missed several days of work. She tried to call her friend and also drove by her house off N.C. 16 near I-485.“She never misses work. I saw that as a red flag. If there is any word that describes her, it is responsible.”

She said Nikki McPhatter, originally from Raeford, still cares for her grandmother. She drives to Raeford once or twice a month to see her. McPhatter has a business degree from UNC Charlotte.Weaver described her friend as “very outgoing, very friendly. As soon as you met her, you felt a connection. She never said anything negative. She had a very positive energy.”

“There has been a lot of confusion and worry…,” Weaver said. “We want her to come home.”

Thursday, May 21

Goddess Zuri has good news and bad news. Our Shani Hoops, Rukiya Hoops, and Dacia Hoops have all been discontinued. That's the bad news. The good news is that you can now get these hoops for only $10 while they last. They were regularly priced at $18.00. That's almost a 50% savings.

Kalifa Hoops are now available for a new lower price at $20. They were regularly priced at $25. That's a 20% savings.

Monday, May 18

I used to work with Nikki at Dillard's in 2006 where we were both seasonal employees. We kept in touch for about 8 months after Dillard's. When I heard that she was missing this morning, I was beyond shocked! Authorities think she was headed to Columbia, SC to pick up some personal belongings (possibly from an ex). She and her car, it seems, have vanished without a trace.

Additional Information:Nikki’s friends and family have not seen or heard from her since May 4, 2009. Nikki works for US Airways as a ticket agent at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. Nikki has missed several shifts of work. Nikki is described as a reliable employee.

Nikki’s vehicle is also missing, and both are entered into NCIC as missing.

Vehicle Information: Black, 2003, Honda Accord with NC tag PHATTAH.

Nikki is reported missing from Charlotte North Carolina, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is asking for the assistance of citizens of the Columbia SC area with this missing person case.Anyone who sees Nikki or her black Honda Accord is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600

Hobbies: Shopping, researching social media and material for my blog BlaqVixen Beauty, surfing the Internet, going to the movies and reading.

What makes you a fly goddess?: I'm a Scorpio! No, but seriously I'm like a phoenix. Recently, I went through a chain of events that almost destroyed me, but I found the strength to make a comeback and find myself. I'm thankful that I have the will to persevere.

Advice do you have for women trying to free their goddess: I think one of the most important things is to get to know yourself and know what worksfor you- don't let others try to run your life for you! And if you have to reinvent yourself to move forward, do it responsibly.

Friday, May 15

Thursday, May 14

I frequent a little giftshop in town that sells everything from home accessories to decorative paper to books and cards. As I was looking around, I eventually stopped at a small rack to read a few quotable magnets. Never Ever Ever Give Up. Life Is Not About Finding Yourself, Life Is About Creating Yourself. Whatever You Are, Be A Good One.

I was getting inspired, and now I was determined to find the perfect magnet with the perfect message to don on my refrigerator. I looked and looked and looked, and then I found it. Now Is The Right Time.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve blamed timing on my inability to act. Even though I badly wanted to cut my hair off and go natural, it took me two years to do so because I thought I should wait until after college and secure a job first. I was also conflicted between which ideal of beauty I should satisfy: mine or society’s. I should have started my business, Goddess Zuri, about two years earlier than I did, but I convinced myself that I wasn’t ready. I’ve been interested in interior decorating for a long time, but I persuaded myself into thinking that marketing was a better and more stable career route for me and that I should just stick with it.

There were many times in my life that I let fear get in the way and cripple my ability to take risks and move forward. But somewhere in the midst of all the fear, I finally realized that there would never be a perfectly right moment for me to cut my hair off. I would always get criticism from someone for exchanging my long brown locks for tight coils. There would never be a perfect moment for me to start a business. I would always have to look for ways to finance it, market it and grow it. There would never be a perfect time for me to go back to school, start exploring an interest, and plan for a career change. I would always have bills and be required to recondition my mind as a student.

Actually, there was a right time for all of these decisions in my life and all of the decisions you may be facing currently. And that time is now.

I picked up the magnet, made my way to the register, found my way home and place it in the middle of my refrigerator door.

Wednesday, May 13

Set off any Goddess Zuri tee or pair of hoops with a stack of Oluchi ("the art/work of God") Bracelets, made from Indonesia wood. Bracelets are priced at $5.00 each, so you choose how many you want in your set.

Thursday, May 7

Tuesday, May 5

I rarely frequent clubs, but my girlfriend and I didn’t want to be in the house during Labor Day weekend, so we decided to go to a party. The party ended up being pretty lame, so my friend and I were relegated to people watching…which was hilarious. We got plenty of good laughs from watching desperate underdressed women trying to catch the eye of a few men.

As we were cracking up, I noticed him in front of me, grooving to the music. He was tall and handsome with a splash of style. (I’m a Common/Mos Def kind of girl, so paperboy hats get me every time). He turned and looked at me several times, but never said anything. So, I went back to people watching. And moments later, he was gone.

The party became a little too much for my friend and me. Too smoky. Too loud. Too crowded. So, we decided to leave. As we made our way to the exit, someone grabbed my hand. It was him.

We struck up a conversation, shared a few laughs and exchanged numbers. I was excited as I walked back to my car, but I soon checked myself. I’ve always told myself that I would never meet someone of substance in a club, so the poor guy got Strike #1 before we even had a chance to have a real conversation.

The next day, I looked him up on facebook and we became friends. After I looked at his profile, I noticed that he was 3 ½ years younger than me. Strike #2. I had always told myself that I needed to be with an established older man.

I don’t remember a Strike #3, but starting with two strikes left me uninterested. I had already disregarded him, but he didn’t know that. So, he kept texting and calling me to get together, but I always found an excuse. After several weeks, he was still there. Texting and calling. So finally I decided to go to a community fair that he invited me to. I thought that this would be my opportunity to let him know face-to-face I was uninterested.

But something happened that I never expected. After talking to him, I was completely intrigued. And suddenly, it didn’t matter where I met him or how old he was.

So, we made plans to see each other the next week. And soon after, it was a wrap. I liked him, which soon transformed into infatuation. Now we’re together.

If my boyfriend hadn’t been as persistent as he was, I would have missed out on a great guy.

The reality is that I had imposed so many limitations on this situation before letting the situation reveal opportunities or limitations on its own. Who cares where you meet someone or how old he is if you two share commonalities and a connection?

So, what are your self-imposed limitations? They may be different from mine, but the reality is, we all have them. Whatever they are, identify them then let them go. Because when you do, you’ll simultaneously free your goddess.

Monday, May 4

Name: Ebony T.City: Newport News, VAHobbies: Dancing (liturgical/praise dancing), working out, shopping (isn’t this every women’s hobby?), traveling…soon to become an active traveler instead of a daydreamer.What makes you a fly goddess?: I'm a child of God! That in itself makes me fly! I know that I’m fly regardless of what others may think. I think the key to being a goddess is having self assurance, along with humility. I’m vibrant, energetic and unselfish, sometimes finding myself catering to the needs of others above my own needs. I’m not concerned about what others think about me because I know who I am.Advice do you have for women trying to free their goddess: Allow God to touch you and love you…with His love comes discipline, and with that discipline life becomes brand new. Seek Him and find out who you are in Him. Remember, history is nothing more than a story. Study it, learn from it, and keep it moving.

If you would like to be considered for Goddess of the Week, please send a photo along with the answers to the above questions to freethegoddess@goddesszuri.com